One Piece: Wrath of the Sea
by XFangHeartX
Summary: The Straw Hats must act when a malicious pirate attempts to steal a gemstone that might cause the entire island they're on to sink beneath the depths! Full summary inside. Read and review, and no flames or hate, please!
1. Prologue

ONE PIECE:

WRATH OF THE SEA

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One Piece © Oda

Story and OCs © Me

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Summary- The Straw Hats arrive at an island that is holding a festival for their guardian deity for protecting them from a tidal wave that nearly sank their home, centuries ago. However, as usual, their attempt at a fun time is interrupted when an evil pirate named Gaius attempts to steal a treasured gemstone that is said to protect the island from the flood. Now, it's up to Luffy and the crew to stop him before it's too late!

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**Prologue**

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_Long ago on an island that had no name, there was a small, peaceful village that sat on the shoreline. It only had a few houses and very few people, but they were happy. They thrived off the land and whatever resources they could find. However, there were often times when the island was hit with violent thunderstorms. It often left destruction in its wake...as well as death._

_The island's people desperately sought out an answer to protect them from the storms._

_Then, one day, as the villagers prepared for another storm, a mysterious creature appeared at their shore. It was a huge dragon with turquoise scales that sparkled in the light of the sun, a long mane of rose-colored hair then went down its back, four pink flippers, two large pink horns, and golden yellow eyes that shone like stars._

_It was a sea dragon._

_At first, the residents of the island were terrified of the creature, thinking that she had come to devour them all, but then she spoke to them in a calming voice._

"_Do not fear me, good people of the island," she told them. "I have heard of your plight and I wish to help you." She then presented them with a sphere that was about as big as a marble and as blue as the sea. It was so beautiful, the citizens placed the sphere inside a shrine, claiming it as a gift from the gods of the sea._

_Then, one night, as another raging storm occurred, a huge tidal wave suddenly appeared from the ocean, prepared to swallow up not just the ocean, but the entire island. However, just as the wave was getting closer, the sphere that the sea dragon presented the villagers with suddenly glowed a bright light...and all of a sudden, the wave shrank and the storms ceased._

"_This sphere is called Poseidon's Pearl," said the sea dragon. "It has the power to quell storms and stop tidal waves. As long as it remains here, no harm will ever come to this island."_

_With that, the sea dragon left while the island continued to thrive, growing from a small village to a bustling city, and every year, they hold a grand festival to thank the sea dragon for her gift of protection, and ever since then, they had called their island…_

XXX

"Laguna?"

"That's right."

Robin smiled as she closed the book that she had been reading to Aika, who tilted her head curiously while Kumi sat by her side. The young D. Carrier had asked the archaeologist to tell her a story since she was a bit bored.

"Why was it called that?" asked Aika.

"Because that was the name of the sea dragon," said Robin. "They named the island after her as a way of honoring her."

"Huh…" Aika muttered. "That's an interesting name for a dragon."

Robin chuckled as she used her powers to put the book back on the shelf.

"Did you know that the island has a festival, every year, as a way of giving thanks to her?" asked Robin. "During the day, there's singing and dancing, and at night, people light up candles and put them on tiny paper boats and set them out to sea, so that one day, maybe the sea dragon will see them and know how much they appreciate what she did for them."

"Hey, Aunt Robin?" Aika asked. "Is there really such a thing as sea dragons?"

"Well, aside from the variation of sea horse," Robin began, "there's not really a record of sea dragons...but you never know, sweetie." She lightly tapped her finger on the tip of Aika's nose. "There are many mysterious things in the New World. You might see them when you least expect it."

"Shishishi!" Aika giggled as she rubbed her nose. "Aunt Robin!"

Nearby, Nami smiled as she listened to the conversation while she worked on her maps. Next to her was an Eternal Pose with the name "Laguna" on the nameplate, its needle pointing directly north, where the _Thousand Sunny_ was sailing, exactly. She just so happened to…"borrow" it from a Marine captain from the last island they happened to be visiting. She figured that the Marines wouldn't miss it.

"Laguna's the island we're going to, you know," Nami said. "We're going there just for the festival. Even pirates have to have fun once in a while, am I right?"

"Leave it to you to pick out the best vacation spots, Nami," Robin mused.

"Ooh! Maybe we'll meet the sea dragon!" Aika exclaimed. "Will we, Big Sis Nami? Will we?!"

"Well...we'll have to see, honey," Nami replied.

"_Well, if it's all the same to you,"_ Kumi began, _"I'd rather NOT meet any sea dragons, thank you."_

"But the sea dragon in the story sounded nice," Aika pointed out.

"_Yeah...in the story,"_ Kumi argued. _"That doesn't mean that they're nice in real life! That is, if they're real!"_

"I think they are!"

The girls turned to see none other than Luffy walk in with Usopp following behind him.

"If we saw dragons in the East Blue AND Punk Hazard," Luffy began, "who's to say that sea dragons don't exist?"

Aika grinned before she ran up to Luffy, who picked her up and held her in his arms.

"Hey, Big Brother," Aika said. "If you ever meet a sea dragon, what would you do?"

"Probably eat it," Usopp quipped.

"Hey!" Luffy countered. "I don't eat EVERYTHING I see!"

"Yeah, right," Nami smirked as she got up. "Just last week, you tried to eat a giant lizard."

"I hadn't eaten lunch!" Luffy argued.

"You had almost three plates of Sanji's seafood paella!" Usopp argued.

"Shishishi!" Aika giggled. "Silly Big Brother."

"Well...I guess if it's nice," Luffy began, "I would try and be friends with it, next."

"I would, too!" Aika replied. "Hey, Big Brother! You think we'll see a sea dragon at this Laguna place?"

"I think we will," Luffy grinned. "I'd like to see it myself, really...maybe have some of that festival food, while we're at it."

**Glurrrrrgle…!** Luffy glanced down at his stomach before he gave a sheepish chuckle.

"Oh, Luffy," Nami said before she, Robin, Usopp, Aika, and Kumi laughed.

"Hey, Zoro here," Zoro's voice called from the intercom in the Crow's Nest. "There's an island up ahead."

The D. Siblings gasped in excitement before they rushed out to the deck, followed by Usopp as he felt their delight radiate off of them. Nami and Robin both chuckled before they strode out themselves, the latter holding Kumi in her arms. Out on the deck, Blizzard yawned as he woke up from his usual morning nap, roused by Zoro's call. Taking a moment to shake his body awake, the wolf-dog soon stood up and followed after the D. Siblings.

"_So we're finally here?"_ asked Blizzard as he walked by Chopper, who had just finished drying out his medicinal herbs in the sun.

"Sounds like it!" Chopper piped up as he followed after the wolf-dog. "I can't wait to see what Laguna is like!"

"Well, for one thing," Nami began, "its port town, Marina City, is really huge with a bustling marketplace. It's because of outside trading with other islands, not to mention the festival, that the city is able to thrive."

"I heard that the festival plays wonderful music, especially during the lantern boat ceremony!" Brook added as he came sauntering in. "Not to mention the lovely dancer girls! Yohohohoho!"

"You would be interested in that," Nami muttered.

"And let's not forget about the food," Sanji added as he came up from the galley. "I hear they have all kinds of food at this festival. Grilled squid, fried noodles, takoyaki, the whole shebang."

"Ohhh, yeah…!" Luffy whispered with drool dripping out of his mouth.

"That's what you're most excited for, huh, Luffy?" asked Franky.

"Duh!" Luffy answered. "You can't have a festival without food, Franky!"

"Yeah, it's common knowledge!" Aika added. "Right, Big Sis?"

"I don't know if that applies to everyone," Nami said.

"Yeah, just you two," Usopp quipped.

"_Yeah, you and Luffy are the only ones I know who would think of something like that, Aika,"_ said Kumi.

"Well, wherever we're going," Zoro began, "this place better have good booze."

"Oh, of course," Robin replied. "Laguna is very renowned for its alcoholic beverages."

"Sold," Zoro grinned.

"_Talk about having one-track minds!" _Blizzard exclaimed.

"Well, if it's festival fun you guys are looking for," Franky began, "look no further...because here we are!"

Soon, all of the Straw Hats had congregated at the helm...and lo and behold, within their sights was a humongous island with a huge city made of marble buildings as white as pearls. So pristine was this city that it seemed to sparkle in the sunlight, and palm trees were growing just about everywhere. The Straw Hats could see colorful banners, all of them bearing a mark that seemed to depict some sort of serpentine creature with fins.

"Ooh, Big Sis!" Aika exclaimed. "Is that it?! Is that Laguna?!"

"Yep, that's it!" Nami answered. "Laguna, straight ahead!"

"Oh, boy, I can't wait!" Chopper piped up. "It's gonna be so much fun!"

"You got that right!" Usopp agreed. "Finally, a chance to relax and have some fun!"

"No arguments from me!" Brook added. "Yohohoho!"

"What do you say, Captain?" Zoro asked. "Shall we make landfall?"

"You don't gotta tell me, twice!" Luffy answered before he looked toward the island. "Come on, you guys! Let's go...TO LAGUNA~!"

"Aye-aye!" the Straw Hats cheered as they raised their fists in agreement.

XXX

But meanwhile, somewhere in a dark room, illuminated by nothing but a lit oil lantern...a shadowy figure sits in wait, his hands folded under his chin as he sat before a Transponder Snail.

"Are preparations complete?" the figure asked.

"**Yes, sir,"** answered the one on the other side of the snail in a rather deep voice. **"By tomorrow, Poseidon's Pearl will be in your hands."**

"Excellent…" the figure grinned. "The festival will be the perfect cover. Tomorrow, no one will suspect that their precious treasure has been stolen."

"**Yes, sir,"** the caller answered...with a somewhat nervous look on their face that appeared on the snail. **"Although, do you believe in the myth that without the pearl, the entire island will be submerged by a massive tidal wave?"**

"It's just a rumor," the figure denied. "Some cooked-up fairy tale to scare away looters. Poseidon's Pearl will be mine...and even if that myth were true, what's one island, more or less?"

"**...I suppose."**

**Gacha…!** Whoever was calling hung up and the Transponder Snail went to sleep while the figure chuckled as he stood up and looked at a map.

"With that pearl, I will conquer all the seas in the world," he said. "No one will stand in the way." He then gave a dark, sinister chuckle.

* * *

**ONE PIECE:**

**WRATH OF THE SEA**

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Yeah, so I'm making another attempt at an original movie-fic, somewhat. I honestly think I can actually make this one work. Since Wano isn't done yet, I figured I might as well do this, right?

And besides, I feel like I need this. I feel like in order to REALLY get back into my One Piece flow, I should do something really original, and this could be just the thing!

Review, please!


	2. Ch 1- Welcome to Laguna

**Ch. 1- Welcome to Laguna!**

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One Piece © Oda

Story and OCs © Me

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The Straw Hats knew it wouldn't be wise to make landfall right at the port, so they managed to hide the _Thousand Sunny_ in a hidden alcove, just west of the main coast. Sure, it would make the walk to Marina City a little long, but it would be worth it. Once they made sure that the ship was secure, there was just one thing left to do: assign who gets to stay on the ship to guard it.

"Are you sure you don't mind staying here, Blizzard?" Nami asked. "We don't want you to feel left out or anything."

"Yeah, you could just come with us!" Chopper added.

_"Someone has to stay here and watch the ship to make sure no one finds it,"_ Blizzard answered. _"I'm the ship's guard dog, so it might as well be. Besides, you guys can tell me about it when I get back."_

"Are you sure you won't be lonely?" Usopp asked.

_"Nah,"_ Blizzard replied. _"You guys go and have fun. I'll be here."_

"If you say so," Nami shrugged before she pet the wolf-dog on his head. "We'll try and come back before sundown. We'll even come and check on you, now and then!"

"We love you, Blizzard!" Aika added as she hugged Blizzard, who smiled and wagged his tail.

"Hey, let's go!" Luffy called, having already disembarked with the rest of the crew. "Come on! We're gonna miss out on all the festival food!"

"We're coming, Luffy!" Nami called back before she looked at Blizzard. "We'll be back later, Blizzard. Don't worry if you get hungry, Sanji left you some food to eat."

_"Tell him I said thanks,"_ Blizzard replied, and with that, Nami, Usopp, Chopper, Aika, and Kumi all walked down the gangplank.

"We'll see you later, Blizzard!" Chopper called.

_"See ya!"_ Blizzard called back.

"All right, let's get going!" Luffy exclaimed as he pointed to the slope that led toward the city. "Marina City, here we come!"

"Yohohoho!" Brook chortled. "How exciting!"

Blizzard watched as the others walked away, heading toward Marina City, then gave a lazy yawn as he sat down on the lawn deck and scratched at his ear with his hind paw. Truthfully, he was actually glad to get some alone time. This way, he could enjoy the peace and quiet and have himself a little nap while the others got to go and enjoy themselves. Of course, that didn't mean he liked being alone, per se, just for a little while.

Of course, just because Blizzard had the time to relax, it didn't necessarily mean that he could just drop his guard. Even when asleep, the Straw Hats' guard dog was always alert...

...Just like now.

Blizzard's ears suddenly twitched, causing him to look up, his eyes suddenly wide open. He turned around, pointed ears swiveling and nose sniffing at even the faintest of smells. Before he could pinpoint where this peculiar scent was coming from...he suddenly felt a small stinging sensation in his right shoulder. He yelped before he looked around, wondering what it was that stung him...but as he did, the world suddenly began to blur around him. His legs felt weak and his eyelids felt unusually heavy. The wolf-dog groaned before he collapsed on his left side...with a small, bee-shaped dart in his shoulder.

As Blizzard lied unconscious...a shadow loomed over him, ominously with a smoking sniper rifle.

XXX

The moment the Straw Hats entered the huge, bustling Marina City, they were met with the wondrous sounds of music and laughter from the residents. The air was filled with many colorful balloons and beautiful banners. People were walking through the busy streets, stopping at stalls of all kinds.

"Now this is what I call a festival!" Franky exclaimed. "I feel like I'm back in Water 7!"

"What a lively festival," Robin mused.

"Look! They have souvenirs!" Chopper piped up as he pointed at a stall that was selling things like masks, pinwheels, little keychains, jewelry, and who knows what else!

"And people are getting their faces painted!" Aika added as she pointed at some people that stood in a front of a stall as a painter delicately dotted a little boy's face with green speckles, giving him the look of some sort of serpent creature.

At that moment, several young women approached the group, holding necklaces made out of colorful seashells.

"Welcome to Laguna!" said one of them as she and her cohorts placed the seashell necklaces around the necks of the Straw Hats.

"Talk about a welcoming committee!" Sanji grinned.

"Yohohohohohoho!" Brook chortled. "I've never felt so alive! Even though I'm already dead."

_"Hey, Aika, how come you have two necklaces?"_ Kumi asked as she noticed Aika holding a second necklace.

"The other one's for Blizzard!" Aika answered. "I'm gonna give it to him when we go back to the ship!"

_"Oh! That makes sense!"_ Kumi replied while wagging her tail.

"Well, now that that's out of the way," Nami began, "what do you think we should do first?"

She got her answer when she heard a low gurgling sound, prompting her to turn and see Luffy, who whimpered like a kicked puppy as he rubbed his growling tummy. The navigator sighed before she reached into her purse and pulled out a stack of Berry notes.

"Here, Luffy," she said. "Go and buy whatever you want. Just don't gorge yourself to the point where you can't move, again. The last thing we need is to carry you back to the ship in a wheelbarrow."

"Yay!" Luffy cheered as he snatched the money out of her hands, then promptly gave her a kiss on her cheek before he turned and ran off into the streets. "Thanks, Nami, love you, bye!"

Despite her exasperation, Nami couldn't help but smile just a little. Luffy may give her a headache but that didn't stop her from loving him.

"You sure we can trust him to be alone?" Usopp asked, worriedly. "You know how he can be a little...rambunctious."

"Would you rather hear him about how hungry he is?" asked Nami.

"...True," Usopp nodded.

"All right, now that that's settled-" Nami started.

"Uh...Nami?" Sanji asked as he looked around. "We lost Zoro."

"What?!" Nami questioned as she and the others noticed that the aforementioned swordsman was nowhere to be found.

"How could he get lost?!" Franky asked. "We went in a straight line!"

"It's _Zoro!_" Usopp answered. "He gets lost even WHEN he's walking a straight line!"

XXX

In the middle of a dense, tropical forest...Zoro stood there wondering just where his crewmates went.

"Don't tell me those idiots got themselves lost, again," he groused.

XXX

Meanwhile, Luffy was out in the city, stopping at every food stand that he could find. His stomach grumbled in anticipation as he looked around, trying to figure out what to get first. Deciding that he wouldn't get much done just standing there, the first place he stopped at was a meat stand, naturally. After that, he went to get some grilled squid on a stick, followed by getting himself a platter of fried chicken karaage, a carton of takoyaki, TWO cartons of fried yakisoba...basically, the whole shebang.

"If this is a dream, I sure don't wanna wake up!" Luffy said as he walked away with all his purchases. "Now I just need a nice, quiet place to eat all this." He looked around and noticed a cliff that overlooked the sea, which caused an impish grin to appear on his face. "That'll work!"

XXX

Chopper giggled as he munched on some cotton candy while he stood beside Nami, who had just bought herself a beautiful necklace made of pearls and glass beads.

"What do you think, Chopper?" Nami asked as she showed off her newest treasure. "The pearls made with this necklace are real because they're found at the beaches around the island."

"Wow, pretty!" Chopper exclaimed.

"Check out this keychain I bought!" Usopp said as he showed it to Brook, who was holding up a pinwheel.

"I got myself a little something, too!" Brook added.

Not too far away, Robin smiled as she stood at a bookstall, having bought at least 3 of them.

"Thank you, very much," she said as she gave the vendor her money, then looked around for Aika and Kumi. "Girls? Let's go!"

Not too far away from Robin, Aika and Kumi stood at a different chicken karaage stand, buying themselves some of the fried food.

"Don't get too much, girls!" Sanji called over to them as he stood nearby, looking at some freshly caught fish. He figured that the group might as well use this chance to stock up on their supplies.

"Hey, you got any cola over here?" asked Franky as he stood in front of a different stall that sold soft drinks.

As Aika and Kumi received their food, someone walked up to the stall and placed a 1,000-Berry note on the counter.

"I'll pay for them," said a man with blonde hair wearing sunglasses, a dark blue shirt with a red floral pattern and a black shirt underneath, a pair of white shorts, and straw sandals.

"Of course, sir," the vendor nodded while Aika and Kumi both stared at the stranger.

"You guys enjoying that food?" asked the mysterious man, causing Aika to back away. "Hey, what's the matter?"

"I'm not supposed to talk to strangers," Aika answered with a wary expression.

"Ah, that makes sense," the man said as he kneeled down to her height level, "except...you know me, don't you?" He then raised his sunglasses...revealing his scarred left eye, causing Aika to gasp happily as she instantly recognized who it was.

"Big Brother Sabo!" she exclaimed before she jumped into Sabo's arms, causing him to laugh as he held her.

"Hey, kiddo!" Sabo greeted.

"Aika?" Robin asked as she and the others came over. "Who are you talking to-" She gasped as she noticed Sabo before sighing in relief. "Oh! Sabo, it's only you."

"Hey, it's been a while!" Usopp exclaimed.

"Sure has," Sabo replied.

"Are Koala and Lucky with you?" asked Robin.

"Sabo!" a voice called out, causing the Revolutionary Army Chief of Staff to wince.

"Does that answer your question?" he asked, just as Koala, who was wearing a light blue sunhat, a blue-and-white striped dress, and a pale yellow shawl approached, and beside her stood Sabo's Husky/Golden Retriever-mix, Lucky.

"Sabo, how many times do I have to tell you not to-" Koala started, only to gasp as she saw Aika, who waved at her.

"Hi, Big Sis Koala!" Aika replied.

"Aika, sweetie!" Koala exclaimed as Sabo handed the 7-year-old D. Carrier to her. "Oh, it's so good to see you!"

"I'm here, too, you know," Robin smiled, causing Koala to laugh as she hugged her, and Lucky excitedly barked with hearts in his eyes as he jumped up and down in the air.

_"Robin! Hi, Robin!"_ Lucky exclaimed, excitedly, causing Robin to chuckle as she scratched under his chin.

"It's good to see you, too, Lucky," said the archaeologist.

"Hey, where's my little brother?" Sabo asked as he looked among the Straw Hats. "I would've liked to see him, too!"

"Oh, you know," Sanji said. "The usual."

"Ah," Sabo nodded. "Of course. Typical Luffy."

"Don't worry, he'll turn up sooner or later," Nami replied. "As for Zoro, I'm not so sure..."

"So what brings you guys here?" asked Franky. "You guys here for the festival, too?"

"Well...more or less," Koala answered as she held Aika. At that moment, the Straw Hats seemed to notice that the two Revolutionary Army agents and even their dog had rather serious looks on their faces.

"We can't talk out here," Sabo said in a slightly hushed voice. "Let's go somewhere a little more private."

"Of course," Robin nodded in understanding.

"What about Luffy?" Chopper asked. "Shouldn't we go find him?"

"Luffy can handle himself," Sanji replied as the group followed after Sabo, Koala, and Lucky.

"By the way," Robin said. "Where is Hack?"

"He couldn't come," Koala replied. "He broke his leg the other day, thanks to a certain someone." She then cast a glare at Sabo. "And I will not name names."

"It was an _accident!_" Sabo argued. "God, it's not like I _meant_ to trip him, Koala!"

XXX

**BUUUUUUUUURRRP!** That monstrous belch came from none other than Luffy, who sighed as he lied on the ground, surrounded by discarded cartons, sticks, and bones. His stomach was bloated, it looked like he had swallowed a horse whole!

"Ugh..." Luffy groaned as he put a hand on his engorged belly. "I think this time, I overdid it a little."

He then flopped on his back, sighing as he allowed himself relax to the ambiance of the ocean's waves down below and the calm, cooling breeze that drifted upwards from the sea. Luffy smiled as he found himself growing relaxed. If he could, he would lie there forever if he wanted.

Luffy then yawned, preparing to let himself slip into a food coma...but just as he was about to do so, his eyes suddenly shot wide open and flashed red, a sign that his Observation Haki had sensed something. As Luffy looked up, he barely managed to dodge a blackened fist. Digesting his meal quickly and slimming back down to his normal frame, the Straw Hat Captain did a backward somersault, landing on his feet as he saw himself face-to-face with a man of at least 40 years. He had tanned skin and had brown hair that was so long that it reached down to his waist, as well as a thick mustache. He had on a dark green shirt, a dark red buccaneer's coat, a pair of beige trousers with a dark red sash around his waist, and a pair of black boots with buckles.

Luffy glanced down at the spot where he once laid...and saw a large crack in the ground. If he hadn't moved out of the way at the last second, his skull would have been split in two.

"Hey, who the hell are you?!" Luffy questioned. "Why the hell are you attacking me?!"

"Straw Hat Luffy," the man said as he stood up and cracked his knuckles. "I've heard a great deal about you...the man worth 1.5 billion." He then grinned. "Let's see if you can actually back that up."

"...I see," Luffy said as he took a fighting stance, a grin appearing on his face. "If you wanted a fight, all you had to do was say so."

**TO BE CONTINUED...**

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Already getting into the action!

Review, please!


	3. Ch 2- Gaius

**Ch. 2- Gaius**

* * *

One Piece © Oda

Story and OCs © Me

* * *

Luffy stood in front of the mysterious stranger, who glared at him as he wriggled his fingers, causing his joints to pop.

"Well?" Luffy asked. "You gonna make a move or what?!"

"I'm just waiting," said the stranger, causing Luffy to glare at him.

"Well, if you're not gonna do anything, then I will!" he shouted before he charged at his foe, who charged back before Luffy threw his fist forward in an attempt to punch, but the stranger ducked beneath his fist and kneed him in the stomach, momentarily knocking the wind out of him. However, Luffy managed to regain his senses before he managed to punch his assailant in the jaw, knocking him back just a few feet. However, this didn't discourage him, even as Luffy rushed at him in Gear Second with his arms stretched back behind him.

"GUM-GUUUUUM...JET BAZOOKA!"

He then hit the man with both barrels...or so it seemed. To Luffy's shock, he managed to grab both his hands before he threw him over his head and slammed him into the ground.

"GUH!" he cried as he momentarily collapsed, but then, he grunted as he quickly jumped to his feet, then ran at the stranger once more.

"Is that the best you've got?" asked the mysterious foe as he imbued both hands with Haki. "Because I haven't broken a sweat yet!"

"I'll show you!" Luffy yelled as he charged at his opponent, who braced himself for an attack. Soon, the two were exchanging blows left and right, some landing, some missing, but mostly being countered. Their fists were so fast, they almost seemed invisible to the naked eye before they both leaped back.

"GUM-GUUUUM...JET GATLING~!" Luffy roared as he began to throw a flurry of rapid-fire punches at his foe, who ran to the left to dodge the devastating blows. The ground cracked and crumbled as he ran until he charged at Luffy head-on, then he raised his left hand...and extended his fingers in a manner that seemed like...a claw.

"Wait...where have I seen that before...?" Luffy whispered, but then he gasped before he jumped out of the way. However, that wasn't the end of it...because then, the entire cliffside began to crumble!

"OH, CRAP!" Luffy cursed as he tried to stretch his arms and clamber back up to solid ground...but just as he was about to reach the top, the mysterious stranger grabbed him by the wrist, causing him to look up in surprise.

"Wait...what are you-" he started, only to gasp as he felt something sink into his abdominals...and as he looked down, he saw that the blade of a knife had been plunged into his torso, blood seeping from the open gash.

"...I'll admit," said the man with a wicked grin. "You put up a good effort...and I do admire your strength...but even so, you're in my way."

With that, he kicked Luffy off the cliff, causing him to plummet toward the sea below him. The moment his body hit the water, he began to sink like a sack of bricks, the water slowly turning red from his bloody wound. With the seawater sapping his strength and his body slowly losing more blood, Luffy's vision began to blur and bubbles began to seep from his open mouth.

Just as Luffy was about to black out...he could make out a strange shape swimming toward him just as he finally lost consciousness.

XXX

The Straw Hats, Sabo, Koala, and Lucky were all sitting under a pagoda, having drinks and a meal together. Sabo sat in front of them, slurping a whole bowl of ramen noodles...his fifth bowl to be precise. He picked up the bowl and guzzled down the broth before he heaved a sigh and wiped his lips, then set the bowl onto a stack of four others.

"And I thought Luffy was gluttonous," Sanji muttered.

"What'd you expect?" Usopp asked. "They're both brothers."

"Sorry about that," Sabo said. "Anyway, it's about time we explained the reason we're here."

"So what's going on, anyway?" asked Nami while Aika sat next to her, sipping a juice box and Kumi sat on the floor, eating a bowl of mixed melon slices.

"Well," Koala began, "we got an anonymous tip saying that someone might have been smuggling illegal weapons here."

"Illegal weapons?" Robin repeated with an air of concern.

"Jeez...and on a festival, too?" Franky asked. "Sounds like the perfect cover for it."

"Now, normally, we wouldn't be too worried about this kind of thing," Sabo began, "but there's just one problem: it's suspected that the one behind all of this used to be one of us."

"What?!" the Straw Hats questioned.

"You mean the one who's supposedly behind all this used to be a member of the Revolutionary Army?" asked Brook.

"Not just any member," Koala answered. "This guy used to be the Chief of Staff before Sabo was...that is, before his defection."

"No way...!" Usopp whispered. "You're saying that this guy used to be the second-in-command to Luffy's father?!"

"That's right," Sabo nodded. "His name is Gaius. He was known for his...extreme ways."

"How extreme?" Sanji inquired while Chopper gulped nervously.

"It all happened a year before Sabo regained his memories," said Koala. "Gaius was tasked to save a country that was being oppressed by a tyrannical king...but...well..." She had a mildly disturbed look on her face.

"What did he do?" Franky asked.

"Gaius went about 'liberating' the island in the worst way possible," said Sabo. "He ordered a bombing strike on the entire country."

"WHAT?!" the Straw Hats, only for Koala to quickly shush them.

"Oh, right, sorry," Sanji whispered.

"But why would he go and do a crazy thing like that?!" asked Usopp. "Wouldn't it be easier to just overthrow the king?! It would save everyone a lot of headaches...and lives!"

"That's what we told Gaius," Sabo countered. "When we found out about this, Dragon was outraged. The last thing he wanted was for innocent civilians to end up dead...but the way Gaius saw it, if the entire country was destroyed, there'd be no one to oppress and no other tyrant to take the king's place...that's what he believed." He then sighed. "The worst part about it is...in a way, he's kind of right."

"Mm..." Robin nodded. "Usually, someone even worse than the previous ruler ends up taking over and could destroy the whole country."

"Even so," Sabo said, "Dragon didn't condone such a thing."

"The entire island's population was wiped out as a result," Koala said with a grim expression. "56,000 people...dead."

_"Not just that, but the local wildlife suffered, as well,"_ said Lucky.

Aika whimpered as she hid behind Nami, suddenly having memories of when her island was attacked by Akainu. Even Kumi whined nervously at the thought.

"So that's why you're here, is it?" Franky inquired. "You came to track down that Gaius bastard."

"Yeah...and trust me, we've been tracking him for a long time," Sabo said with narrowing eyes.

"If you ever see him," Koala began, "approach with caution. Gaius is a strategical genius, especially in battle...and not just that, but he's one of the few known people to ever master the Dragon Claw technique...and his is said to be twice as strong as Sabo's."

"You're kidding," Sanji said, worriedly.

"I'm afraid not," said Sabo. "I've seen him destroy mountains with that move. The guy doesn't even have a Devil Fruit!"

"Dammit, this can't be good," Usopp cursed. "Suddenly, this festival doesn't like a lot of fun, anymore. Why can't we ever have a normal day off?"

"There's no such thing as a day off with us, Usopp," Sanji said. "Unfortunately."

"I think maybe we should go and find Luffy," Robin suggested. "He might be in trouble."

"We might as well see if we can find Zoro while we're at it," Nami added. "Knowing him, he's probably lost in the forest, somewhere."

"I think we better go check on Blizzard, too," Chopper added. "I'm a little worried about him, now that I heard all of this. I mean, I know he can take care of himself, but still."

"That probably sounds like a good idea," Sabo said before he handed the group a Mini Transponder Snail. "Here. If you guys run into any trouble, you can call us if you need to."

"Thanks, Big Brother Sabo," Aika said as she took the snail, then handed it to Nami, who placed the snail in her pocket before they all got up and prepared to leave.

"Just one thing," Brook spoke. "Who's paying for all of our food and drinks?"

A pause...but then everyone put their fingers against their noses...everyone except for Brook since the skeleton didn't have a nose.

"...Figures..." Brook muttered in disdain.

XXX

Meanwhile, somewhere near the outskirts of the city, sitting quietly on the peaceful hillsides was an old wooden house that looked like it was just thrown together using sheet metal and plywood. It looked rather out of place for such a huge city with white marble buildings...but nonetheless, someone seemed to call it home.

Inside this house, there was someone lying in bed, snoring so loudly that the walls seemed to shake. At that moment, something hopped up on to the bed where this person laid: a large dark red fox about half as big as Blizzard was two years ago, wearing a purple collar around her neck. As the vixen approached the guest...it was soon revealed that the one snoring was none other than Luffy, who was lying in bed with his torso wrapped up in bandages. The fox blinked at Luffy before she approached him, cautiously...but then, she accidentally stepped on the spot where he had been stabbed, causing him to grunt as he sat up, groaning in pain, which caused the fox to hop off the bed.

"AGH, JEEZ!" Luffy cried as he held his bandaged wound...then he noticed the bandages around his stomach, causing him to blink in surprise. "What in the...?"

"So...finally awake, are you, boy?"

Luffy looked up to see a man of at least 40 years, wearing a white tattered lab coat with his arms out of the sleeves, a black sweater, and dark brown trousers. He had on a pair of glasses that looked more like goggles and he had short auburn hair with a bit of a gray streak in it. However, the thing that stood out most was that his right leg was replaced with a wooden peg.

"Who are you, old man?" asked Luffy.

"I ain't that old, yet," the man glared. "Anyway, the name's Spencer, the doctor of this island...at least that's what I call myself, anyway." He then glanced down at the fox that sat beside him before he gently stroked her head. "I see you already met Lula."

"Were you the one who patched me up?" Luffy asked.

"I sure did," said Spencer. "This is my clinic and my house."

"I see," Luffy said before he grinned. "Thanks for bringing me here and helping me out, Pops!"

"Don't call me 'Pops'!" Spencer barked. "Anyway, I'm not the one who brought you here."

"Uncle Spence? Is he awake?"

Spencer turned to see a young girl with tanned skin, yellow eyes, and black hair that had a pink orchid blossom decorating it. She also had a tattoo depicting ocean waves on her left bicep and a pearl bracelet around her left wrist. Her attire consisted of a pale rose crop top and bell-bottom jeans, as well as a pair of heeled sandals.

"Oh, good, he is!" said the girl. "I was worried for a while! How are you?"

"Huh?" Luffy muttered. "Who are you?"

"Oh, right, silly me," said the girl. "I'm Selena. Nice to meet you!"

**TO BE CONTINUED...**

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I know I took a long time updating this one, but lately, I've been getting into a One Piece mood, again. How long will it last? I'm not sure, but hopefully, it'll last long enough for me to do some more One Piece stories along with Inuyasha.

Review, please!


	4. Ch 3- Meet Selena

**Ch. 3- Meet Selena**

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One Piece © Oda

Story and OCs © Me

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"Jeez, where the hell is everyone?" Zoro asked as he wandered through the forest. "I could've sworn they were right in front of me. I swear, I can't keep track of those guys for a second."

As the disoriented swordsman continued his aimless wandering, he suddenly stopped walking as he felt a strange sensation come over him. He turned to his right where this feeling was at its strongest before he headed off in that direction...and that's when he spotted something.

It was a group of men, all of them wearing these black uniforms...and two of them were carrying a giant iron cage. Normally, Zoro would have just shrugged something like that off...that is if it weren't for what was in the cage that caught his attention. The moment he saw the familiar white fur of Blizzard's tail dangling out through the bars, he knew something was up.

He knew Blizzard was a tough dog and wouldn't be taken down so easily...unless somebody pumped him with a sedative. Whatever kind it was, it must have been enough to even knock out a full-grown horse.

"Well...this looks like something worth looking into," the swordsman said before he made his way down the hill and began to follow the mysterious group.

XXX

Concurrently, at the shack where Luffy had been brought to...

"I found you washed up on the southern coast of the island," said Selena as she poured Luffy a cup of tea. "You really had me worried. You were bleeding out and you had swallowed a bit of water, too." She handed the Straw Hat Captain the teacup. "Here you go."

"Thanks," Luffy said before he sipped it, only to grimace. "Euuuugh...!"

"Sorry, it's medicinal tea," said Selena. "It's not meant to taste good, but it's supposed to help you get your strength back. Uncle Spence made it."

"Thanks...I guess," Luffy replied before he forced the whole thing down his throat, trying to keep himself from retching.

"What, did you expect the medicine to actually taste good or something?" asked Spencer as he walked in while putting down a bowl of chicken and rice for Lula, who ravenously attacked the meal.

"Well...kinda," Luffy shrugged.

"Selena, bring the clothes in," said Spencer. "I'm pretty sure they're dry by now."

"Sure thing, Uncle Spence!" Selena said before she went outside.

"Sweet thing, isn't she?" Spencer asked.

"Your niece is really nice," Luffy said before he (reluctantly) choked down more of the medicine...but that's when he noticed a slight somberness to Spencer's expression. "...Oh...let me guess, she's not really your niece, is she?"

"No," Spencer replied. "She just calls me that out of affection." He picked up a wooden pipe, lit it up, took a puff, then blew out some smoke. "Truth is, I don't even know where she came from. She just happened to show up, one night...almost 5 years ago." He then chuckled, albeit mirthlessly to himself. "Funny...around that same time, I was actually contemplating ending my own life."

"...Oh, crap, this dark fast..." Luffy muttered.

"Sometime before I found Selena, I met the most beautiful woman in the world," Spencer said as he looked up at the ceiling, smiling fondly.

"...My navigator, Nami?" Luffy asked.

"NO!" Spencer shouted. "Though I will admit she is beautiful, I am talking about someone else: Rosetta...my fiancé. She used to be one of my patients...but she practically came to see me every day, even though nothing was wrong with her." He then puffed on his pipe before puffing out smoke, again. "Before I knew it...I fell head over heels in love."

"Uh-huh..." Luffy muttered as he picked his nose.

"Then...one day, that all changed," said Spencer as he looked at his peg leg. "I took her out to sea with me on a little boat. It was sometime before we were supposed to get married...but then, all of a sudden...we were blindsided."

Luffy's eyes went wide as he looked at the middle-aged doctor, who sighed as he rubbed at his knee.

"The waves tossed us both around like a pair of ragdolls," he continued. "In the struggle...my leg got caught in between two rocks...and Rosetta was drowning. I had no choice but to sacrifice my limb...but for love, you'd be willing to sacrifice both life and limb." He closed his eyes, solemnly. "It wasn't enough...Rosetta drowned by the time I reached her." He chuckled, humorlessly again. "Imagine...a doctor who can't save even the life of the woman he loved. Tragic, isn't it?"

As for Luffy...for once, he looked rather shaken. Normally, listening to someone's past would put him to sleep because he wasn't really interested...but even he had to admit that what happened to the man was awful.

"...I'm sorry about that," he said.

"Nah," Spencer muttered. "These things...they happen, right?"

"So...what about Selena, then?" Luffy asked as he looked in the direction she left in. "How'd you meet her?"

"Well...I was out alone, on the beach," Spencer said. "The very same beach where Rosetta died. It was the festival back then, too."

_Flashback_

Spencer, back when he was 34, stood near the very edge of the sea as it lapped against his ankle and wooden leg. However...he was not wearing his shoe.

"..._Aspettami...amore mio..._" he whispered before he prepared to take a step forward into the sea, preparing to let the tide engulf him...but then, out of the corner of his eye, he spotted it: this motionless shape, lying on the sand nearby. At first, Spencer was prepared to ignore it...but he couldn't. He just had this nagging feeling that he just couldn't leave it be.

Suddenly...the shape moved, just slightly, causing him to gasp before he suddenly picked up his shoe and ran toward it, and as he drew nearer, he saw that it was a petite girl, no older than 13. Her hair was short a bit unkempt and her skin was tanned, though also a bit pale. She had on only a simple white dress that reached down to her ankles. She coughed a bit, water bubbling from her mouth before she let out this shuddering gasp.

Spencer carefully took the girl in his arms, then carried her off. He didn't know where she came from...but he wasn't going to let her die, here and now. As he raced to get the girl to his clinic, she weakly opened her eyes, revealing them to a be brilliant golden yellow...before she gave a soft smile, causing Spencer to glance down at her and smile back in return.

_Flashback end_

"I took her back with me," Spencer explained. "After I nursed her back to health, I asked her where she came from...where was her family? She said she couldn't remember. My guess...she was in some sort of accident, just like me."

"So you found her and raised her as your own?" Luffy asked.

"Pretty much," Spencer grinned as Selena came walking in, holding a basket full of laundry.

"You talking about me, again, Uncle Spence?" Selena asked.

"I got nothing better to do," Spencer answered.

"And the fox?" Luffy asked as he glanced down at Lula, who was just finishing her food.

"Well, let's just say 2 years ago, Selena went out for a walk in the forest," said Spencer, "and then the next minute, she comes back with a fox kit in her arms and insisting we keep the 'little angel'." He then gave the vixen a snide smirk. "If you ask me, she's a little terror."

Lula seemed to growl at that, causing the doctor to gently stroke her head.

"But I love her, anyway," he said, causing Luffy to smile.

"That's nice," he said.

"Anyway, that's my story," Spencer said. "I know you probably had better stuff to do than listen to my spiel. As for you, Straw Hat Luffy-"

"Wait, I didn't even tell you my name," Luffy said.

"I didn't have to ask," Spencer replied. "I see your name in the papers pretty much 24/7...calling you the 'Fifth Emperor' and how you escaped from Big Mom's territory...I don't even know how a man like you is alive, but I don't question it." He then puffed on his pipe, again. "Anyway, that wound of yours will still take a bit of time to heal, so I suggest you take it easy for a little while."

"Thanks, but I gotta go find my crew," Luffy said as he got up. "They're probably looking for me, by now. I think they might still be in town."

"Oh, maybe I can help you find them!" Selena said as she set the basket down. "Uncle Spence, can I go?"

"Sure, Selena, you can go," Spencer replied. "Just be sure to take Lula with you. I'll probably be in town myself, shortly, since Straw Hat was my only patient today."

"Thanks, Uncle Spence!" said Selena as she went over and gave him a quick peck on the cheek, causing her adopted uncle to chuckle warmly as she headed out, grabbing a purple leash and clipping it onto Lula's collar. "Let's go, uh...Luffy, right?"

"Yep, that's me!" Luffy said.

"Great! Then let's go!" Selena said as she headed out with Lula. "See you later, Uncle Spence!"

"Thanks, Pops!" Luffy added as he followed after her.

"I said don't call me 'Pops'!" Spencer shouted, then sighed as he sat on his chair. "Why do I bother?"

He then looked over at a picture frame, which held a photo of himself, Selena, and Lula...and though he smiled at the photo, he couldn't help wondering...

"...Where did you come from, Selena?" he asked.

XXX

Meanwhile, with Zoro, the wayward swordsman had followed the suspicious-looking men toward an enormous galleon ship, the ship itself painted black with golden highlights, and the figurehead looked like a crouching gargoyle. It practically dwarfed the _Thousand Sunny_ in comparison. Shrugging his shoulders, Zoro just nonchalantly made his way inside like he owned the place. Not that it was a big surprise, of course.

As Zoro made his way inside, he saw several more men marched through the corridor with rifles strapped to their backs, but since they had their backs turned, they didn't even notice him. Zoro then looked to the direction from which they can before he made his way down the hallway and down a flight of steps, which led to a steel door.

"Hello," Zoro said before he attempted to open the door, but it was locked. "Hmm...no key, no problem." He then drew _Shuusui _from its scabbard and with a single swing, he cut right through the door, then made his way inside, where he found several crates, barrels, and sacks.

"So I'm guessing this is the storage room," the swordsman mused. "I bet they keep some good booze in here."

Suddenly, he heard a soft whine coming from somewhere in the room, and when he turned, he saw the one thing that didn't belong in this room: an iron cage. As Zoro approached it, he saw that it was none other than the Straw Hats' guard dog, who lied in the cage with eyes half-lidded as he made lapping motions with his tongue, a pool of saliva forming from his mouth.

"Hey, Mutt," Zoro said. "Can you hear me in there?"

Blizzard only gave another soft whine in response. It didn't sound like the wolf-dog was in any pain, more like he was groggy.

"I guess the sedative's beginning to wear off," Zoro replied before he put a hand on one of his swords. "Just wait there, I'll cut through the bars and get you outta there...just don't drool on me while I carry you, got it?"

But just as he was about to draw his sword, his eye suddenly flashed red, a sign that his Observation Haki had sensed something, before he turned around...and that's when he saw a woman with waist-length lavender hair and icy blue eyes, wearing a dark red corset, a dark brown leather skirt with a black sash, a black coat, deep black boots with buckled straps...and strapped to her waist was a nodachi.

"And just what do you think you're doing here...Pirate Hunter Zoro?" asked the woman as she drew the nodachi.

"...I just so happened to follow your friends in here and found our ship's guard dog," Zoro answered. "And who might you be?"

"I am Julius 'Bloody Blade' Zelda," said the woman. "I have a bounty of 256 million Berries...as a fellow swordsman, yourself, you do realize what happens when your cross paths with another swordsman...don't you?"

"...I get it," Zoro smirked as he used his thumb to push _Wado Ichimonji_ just an inch from its sheath. "If you wanted a fight...I'd be glad to oblige."

"...Excellent," Zelda grinned.

_'Did he forget about me so quickly?'_ thought Blizzard as he still lied in the cage, still trying to fight off the tranquilizer in his system.

**TO BE CONTINUED...**

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Yes, I know, I took a long time with this, but I was unmotivated for a while...but now, I finally found the drive to update this, again.

Review, please!


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